Automotive MLCCs Market Size - By MLCC, By Vehicle, By Propulsion, By Voltage, By Application, Analysis, Share, Growth Forecast, 2024 - 2032

Automotive MLCCs Market Size

The global automotive MLCCs market was valued at USD 2.9 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 5.6% between 2024 and 2032. As the market progresses to electric vehicles (EVs), the demand for MLCCs has increased. These include MLCCs employed in power electronics, battery management systems, and electrical infrastructure. Newer EVs have more capacitors than older ones. However, combustion high temperature capacitors are more intricate.
 

According to the International Energy Agency, 2023 was phenomenal for the market expansion as more than 14.2 million BEV and PHEV units sold, demonstrating a staggering 35% growth rate within the year. 14 out of the 14 metrics were BEVs while the latter are PHEVs alongside Range Extender EREVs.

This increase in EVs coincided with the global volume growth of the light vehicle market that grew by 10.5%. These advanced management systems for batteries are highly sensitive, as there is a need for precise monitoring of energy, power conversion, and even thermal management.  The shift of the automotive sector towards greater electrification opens a significant opportunity for MLCC suppliers that manufacture automotive-grade components with high reliability and performance.
 

The market is being propelled by Automotive power electronics due to the emergence of inverters, converters, and power management systems. There is now a need for high-performance capacitors that can endure extreme temperatures and electrical prejudice. This surge of new opportunities is brought forth by the introduction of capacitors based on wide bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbides or gallium nitride that provide a large range of voltage and power density.
 

Furthermore, these technologies demand ruggedized capacitors with improved compactness, thermal stability, and reduced equivalent series resistance. Power MLCC Technologies are rapidly advancing, and this parallel scenario provides a great chance for AA systems power electronics to flourish within the industry due to MLCC's evolution in electric and hybrid vehicles.
 

Automotive MLCCs Market Trends

MLCCs are being developed to enable the use of wide bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride. Here, we witness a parallel surge of the older capacitive technology whereby the modern-day thread requires advanced thermal-resistant MLCCs with low thermal equivalent series resistance and good high-frequency performance. The main thrust is the design and manufacture of efficient, small sized capacitors suitable for these applications and enhancing the power electronics of electric as well as hybrid vehicles.
 

In October 2023, Samsung Electro Mechanics unveiled a competitive multilayer ceramic chip capacitor to enhance its supply of compact and high capacitance solutions for automotive system suppliers. The unit CL31B106KBK6PJ, 1206 inch sized (3.2 by 1.6 mm), is rated at 10µF for 50V. The need for MLCC is increasing sharply as vehicles are becoming more electrified and advanced. Modern cars are now having their onboard circuits fortified with thousands of these devices to ensure the circuits are stable and reliable, thus improving the safety of the vehicles.
 

Automotive MLCC design houses set high reliability standards for their products. These capacitors must operate at -55°C to +150°C with mechanical stress, vibration, and electromagnetic interference. The liquid form of ceramic has already passed the tests for these extreme conditions. But as the testing standards become harsher, it is the manufacturers who have to endure the lengthy qualifying process. This involves the formulation of new materials, innovative processes, and complete failure analysis. In automotive areas where safety is critical, there is a challenge, or rather a big engineering problem, because there is zero tolerance for defects, meaning high expectations for investment in R&D.
 

Automotive MLCCs Market Analysis

Based on the MLCC, the market is segmented into general-purpose, high-capacitance, high-temperature, soft-termination, and low-ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance). In 2023, the general-purpose segment accounted for over 35% of the automotive MLCCs market share and is expected to exceed USD 1.5 billion by 2032.
 

• Automotive electronic systems require MLCCs with wide voltage operational ranges and stable performance. Capacitors are being developed by manufacturers for applications ranging from low-power sensors to high-voltage electric vehicle powertrains, which include supporting 16V to 1000V MLCCs for various automotive needs.
   
• New advanced ceramic materials combined with specially designed electrodes will maintain constant capacitance at different voltages.
   
• For example, in March 2024, TDK Corporation commenced mass production of its advanced series CGA multilayer ceramic capacitors CGA 2.2uF/100V 2.0 x 1.25 x 1.25mm and 4.7uF/100V 3.2 x 1.6 x 1.6mm. These multilayer ceramic capacitors have the highest capacitance in the industry. With the movement of the automotive industry towards enhanced fuel efficiency and a shift towards 48V electrical architecture, there has been significant growth in the need for these compact high capacitance 100V products. These capacitors are essential components for modern vehicles as they are used for smoothing and decoupling power lines.

Based on the voltage, the automotive MLCCs market is divided into less than 50V, 50-200V, and more than 200V. By 2032, the less than 50V segment is expected to exceed USD 2.6 billion due to several key factors.
 

• To achieve better thermal performance and reduced failure rates, work is being done on the ceramic dielectric materials X7R and COG/NP0. Moreover, automotive manufacturers are incorporating MLCCs of greater reliability into their important electronic systems. The new primary concern is the Microphonic effects and MTBF.
   
• In the production of automotive-grade MLCCs, advanced methods like laser trimming and precision screening are in place to ameliorate dependability. The inclination is towards capacitors that are rated highly in reliability, lower in ESR, and offer superior performance in extreme vibrations and thermal cycling.

In 2023, China is considered the dominating region in the Asia Pacific automotive MLCCs market and accounted for over 51% market share.
 

• Chinese constructors are expecting to decrease significantly their dependence on external technologies by investing in domestic production. Advanced manufacturing processes are underway in local firms, keen to compete with the Japanese and Korean firms.
   
• These manufacturers are focusing on high-reliability strain gauge grade MLCCs, developing a self-sufficient supply chain, and indigenous expertise around advanced electronic components.
   
• The automotive MLCCs market in Europe is exhibiting the strongest growth propelled by the ADAS and AV technologies. Sensor systems, communication modules, and electronic control units for autonomous vehicles all require MLCCs.
   
• Automotive and semiconductor industries are investing heavily in Germany, France, and Sweden for the next-generation MLCC technologies that are necessary for autonomous driving infrastructure.
   
• In North America, the electric and hybrid vehicle market is expanding, contributing to the overall market growth. Power electronics, battery management systems, and charging infrastructures all use MLCC. Manufacturers are trying to improve stress-managed durability of MLCCs. Tesla and General Motors and Ford constantly innovate which puts pressure on the market for more advanced, reliable, and efficient capacitor technologies.
   

Automotive MLCCs Market Share

Murata, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, and Yageo collectively held a substantial market share of over 28% in the automotive MLCCs industry in 2023.

• There are considerable investments by Murata in the R&D of MLCCs for high-reliability automotive electronics. The increasing demand for compact high-performance devices in EVs and autonomous vehicles is driving the focus on miniaturization and increased capacitance.
   
• Samsung Electro-Mechanics is setting up new plants to increase the production of MLCCs with a special focus on high-reliability automotive products. This strategy allows them to keep pace with the high-volume requirements of car manufacturers effectively.
   
• Yageo is acquiring KEMET, which will augment its high-reliability MLCC technological capabilities, thus strengthening its overall automotive MLCC sector position.
   
• In addition, Yageo is increasingly focusing on greener business activities and collaborating with certain partners for improved supply chain resilience which is critical for continuous production of cars.
   

Automotive MLCCs Market Companies

Major players operating in the automotive MLCCs industry are:

• Kyocera
• Murata
• NIC Components
• Nippon Chemi-Con
• Rohm Semiconductors
• Samsung Electro-Mechanics
• Taiyo Yuden
• TDK Corporation
• Vishay Intertechnology
• Yageo Corporation
   

There is growing competition in automotive MLCCs, where global giants and regional players both are focusing in strengthening their automotive MLCCs market share. The bulk of the business is controlled by international companies who have vast product catalogs, expansive production capabilities, and superior technology. These firms tap into the already established relationships with automakers and tier-one suppliers for long-term contracts that guarantee demand for MLCCs in traditional and electric vehicles.
 

Businesses within the MLCC sector of the automotive industry have started concentrating on customer satisfaction and quality service as a strategy for competition and to capture a larger portion of the automotive MLCCs market. Apart from these core offerings, other services such as advanced customer support, professional advice, and flexible delivery schedules are also on offer. In addition, investments are being made to enhance firm’s marketing and brand image in order to build an image of dependable and imaginative partners in the growing niche of automotives and electronics, especially motors for electric and autonomous vehicles.
 

Automotive MLCCs Industry News

• In October 2024, Samsung Electro Mechanics commenced mass production of new models, which included the CL03C221JB31PN# model, among others. This model was built for extreme miniaturization with a size of only 0201 inches (0.6 × 0.3mm) and a rated voltage of 50V. It features a C0G dielectric that is suitable for temperatures ranging from -55 to 125 degrees Celsius. It also has a capacitance range of 100 to 220 pF. Deforestation, coupled with the industry’s high emphasis on ADAS, IVI, communication modules (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 5G, NADs), and SiP modules, has created an unquenchable demand for smaller multilayer ceramic capacitors. With around two years of R&D, Samsung Electro-Mechanics has managed to achieve miniaturization by C0G capacitors' size of 0201 in (0.6 x 0.3 mm) utilizing custom approaches to micronize ceramic and electrode materials and over-the-edge precision stacking methodologies. These technologies allowed them to decrease the size of C0G capacitors from the customary 0402 in (1.0 x 0.5 mm).
   
• In July 2024, KYOCERA AVX enriched its KAM Series automotive MLCCs with the introduction of 20 additional components. These components are created using specific advanced microfabrication and high-capacity atomization technologies, which ensures their reliability in automotive applications are exceeded. The KAM series has been further developed to have more variety in case sizes, capacitance values and voltage ratings for high-speed automotive circuits newly designed.
   

The automotive multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) market research report includes in-depth coverage of the industry with estimates & forecasts in terms of revenue ($ Mn/Bn), and volume (Units) from 2021 to 2032, for the following segments:

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Market, By Vehicle

• Passenger vehicles
  • Hatchback
  • Sedan
  • SUV 
• Commercial vehicles
  • Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV)
  • Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCV)

Market, By MLCC

• General-purpose
• High-capacitance
• High-temperature
• Soft-termination
• Low-ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance)

Market, By Propulsion

• ICE
• Electric vehicles
  • Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV)
  • Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV)
  • Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV)

Market, By Voltage

• Less than 50V
• 50V-200V
• More than 200V

Market, By Application

• Powertrain systems
• Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
• Infotainment & connectivity
• Body electronics
• Safety systems
• Battery management systems

The above information is provided for the following regions and countries:

• North America
  • U.S.
  • Canada
• Europe
  • UK
  • Germany
  • France
  • Italy
  • Spain
  • Russia
  • Nordics
• Asia Pacific
  • China
  • India
  • Japan
  • South Korea
  • ANZ
  • Southeast Asia
• Latin America
  • Brazil
  • Mexico
  • Argentina
• MEA
  • UAE
  • Saudi Arabia
  • South Africa